1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to emergency signaling devices and more particularly pertains to a new emergency indicating and signaling device for indicating the area of an emergency.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of emergency signaling devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, emergency signaling devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,607; U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,244; U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,575; U.S. Des. Pat. No. 310,641; U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,127; U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,845; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,565.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new emergency indicating and signaling device. The inventive device includes a housing having a generally tubular configuration and including a peripheral wall having a top edge and a bottom edge. The peripheral wall has a generally cylindrical shape. The peripheral wall has a pair of oppositely positioned and axially aligned holes extending therethrough. A balloon and launch device is extended in a top opening of the housing defined by the top edge. The balloon and launch device includes a chamber having a top wall, a bottom wall and a side wall extending between the top and bottom walls and extending along a peripheral edge of the top and bottom walls. A dividing wall is positioned in the chamber and attached to the side wall such that a top portion and a bottom portion are defined. The dividing wall comprises an air-tight division between the top and bottom portions. The bottom portion of the side wall has a pair of oppositely positioned apertures therein alignable with one of the holes in the peripheral wall of the housing. A gas canister is attached to an upper surface of the top wall. The gas canister extends through the top wall. The gas canister has helium therein under multiple atmospheres of pressure. A strike pin is elongated and has first end and a second end. The first end is pointed. A biasing member biases the strike pin toward the canister is positioned in the chamber. A retaining pin is removably extended through the holes in the peripheral wall and the biasing member. Removing the retaining pin causes the pin to puncture the canister such that air flows from the canister and through the holes in the top wall of the chamber. A balloon is coupled to the chamber and has a mouth extending therethrough and encompassed by an edge. The edge of the mouth extends around the chamber attached to the chamber such that the canister and top wall are positioned within the balloon. An elongated cord has a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the balloon for holding the balloon to the housing after it is inflated.
In these respects, the emergency indicating and signaling device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of indicating the area of an emergency.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of emergency signaling devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new emergency indicating and signaling device construction wherein the same can be utilized for indicating the area of an emergency.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the emergency signaling devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new emergency indicating and signaling device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art emergency signaling devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing having a generally tubular configuration and including a peripheral wall having a top edge and a bottom edge. The peripheral wall has a generally cylindrical shape. The peripheral wall has a pair of oppositely positioned and axially aligned holes extending therethrough. A balloon and launch device is extended in a top opening of the housing defined by the top edge. The balloon and launch device includes a chamber having a top wall, a bottom wall and a side wall extending between the top and bottom walls and extending along a peripheral edge of the top and bottom walls. A dividing wall is positioned in the chamber and attached to the side wall such that a top portion and a bottom portion are defined. The dividing wall comprises an air-tight division between the top and bottom portions. The bottom portion of the side wall has a pair of oppositely positioned apertures therein alignable with one of the holes in the peripheral wall of the housing. A gas canister is attached to an upper surface of the top wall. The gas canister extends through the top wall. The gas canister has helium therein under multiple atmospheres of pressure. A strike pin is elongated and has first end and a second end. The first end is pointed. A biasing member biases the strike pin toward the canister is positioned in the chamber. A retaining pin is removably extended through the holes in the peripheral wall and the biasing member. Removing the retaining pin causes the pin to puncture the canister such that air flows from the canister and through the holes in the top wall of the chamber. A balloon is coupled to the chamber and has a mouth extending therethrough and encompassed by an edge. The edge of the mouth extends around the chamber attached to the chamber such that the canister and top wall are positioned within the balloon. An elongated cord has a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the balloon for holding the balloon to the housing after it is inflated.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the emergency signaling devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new emergency indicating and signaling device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art emergency signaling devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such emergency indicating and signaling device economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device for indicating the area of an emergency.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device which includes a housing having a generally tubular configuration and including a peripheral wall having a top edge and a bottom edge. The peripheral wall has a generally cylindrical shape. The peripheral wall has a pair of oppositely positioned and axially aligned holes extending therethrough. A balloon and launch device is extended in a top opening of the housing defined by the top edge. The balloon and launch device includes a chamber having a top wall, a bottom wall and a side wall extending between the top and bottom walls and extending along a peripheral edge of the top and bottom walls. A dividing wall is positioned in the chamber and attached to the side wall such that a top portion and a bottom portion are defined. The dividing wall comprises an air-tight division between the top and bottom portions. The bottom portion of the side wall has a pair of oppositely positioned apertures therein alignable with one of the holes in the peripheral wall of the housing. A gas canister is attached to an upper surface of the top wall. The gas canister extends through the top wall. The gas canister has helium therein under multiple atmospheres of pressure. A strike pin is elongated and has first end and a second end. The first end is pointed. A biasing member biases the strike pin toward the canister is positioned in the chamber. A retaining pin is removably extended through the holes in the peripheral wall and the biasing member. Removing the retaining pin causes the pin to puncture the canister such that air flows from the canister and through the holes in the top wall of the chamber. A balloon is coupled to the chamber and has a mouth extending therethrough and encompassed by an edge. The edge of the mouth extends around the chamber attached to the chamber such that the canister and top wall are positioned within the balloon. An elongated cord has a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the balloon for holding the balloon to the housing after it is inflated.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device that has a lighted a balloon for easy visual contact during periods of darkness.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new emergency indicating and signaling device that has a transmitter for sending a radio distress call.